Jefferson Journal: Time to Reform State Hospital Regulations — By Michael Thompson Virginia lives under an out-of-date Certificate of Public Need (COPN) law originally enacted at the urging of the federal government in an effort to contain health care costs. The federal requirement was repealed in 1987. It's time to take it off Virginia's books, too. Read It Here!

February 2016

*** NEW ***

Testimony: Time to Reform COPN Laws —
Thomas Jefferson Institute President Michael Thompson offered testimony February 4 to encourage dramatic reform of Virginia's Certificate of Public Need law, an outdated provision that is raising the cost of health care in Virginia. Read Thompson's testimony here!

February 2016

*** NEW ***

Helping Children, Saving Tax Dollars —
In 2014-2015, the Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credit offered nearly 1,400 low and moderate income students the opportunity for a better educational placement. At the same time, it saved the Commonwealth of Virginia nearly $3 million in Standards of Quality funding as those students left the public system to attend a private school. With a 65 percent tax credit, Virginia's tax credit scholarship program offers one of the smallest credits in the nation. Raising the credit to 90 percent would stimulate more donations to scholarship foundations, relieve family financial strains by providing higher scholarships to poorer students, offer more choices to educationally at-risk students --- and not cost Virginia taxpayers a dime! Read It Here!

February 2016

*** NEW ***

Jefferson Journal: Why Virginia Needs a Charter School Amendment — By Chris Braunlich Senator Mark Obenshain and Delegate Rob Bell have proposed a Virginia constitutional amendment permitting the State Board of Education to authorize p[ublic charter schools. If passed this year by the General Assembly, it goes to the voters for approval in November. Because charter schools remain relativesly unknown in Virginia, it's important to understand how they operate in other states, what the results have been, and why they have failed to take hold here in the Commonwealth. Read It Here!